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71 Reasons To Love Being Canadian Please

June 30, 2010

July 1st is my country’s birthday. Over the past 20 years, I’ve become a citizen of the world. Nevertheless, I love Canada, and I missed it during my 18 years as an expatriate.

(Needless to say I didn’t miss using tax software and paying Canadian taxes from which being an expat freed me!)

Now that I’m back, I rejoice at the natural beauty of Canad’s landscapes and people – they comprise a mosaic of breathtaking diversity that makes my heart sing.

The land of my birth is young, free, and full of endless potential – as are the creative young Canadians, Julia Bentley (@honeychip) and Andrew Gunadie (@gunnarolla), who produced this video:

15 Fun & Funky Reasons We Wanna Be Canadian

(In summary: world monopoly on trees, three different seas, invented the zipper, expertise, inventors of insulin, two official languages, mounted police, free universal healthcare, fresh water resources, beavers, caribou, moose, buffalos, bears, and Canada geese!)

56 More More Traditional Reasons We Love Canada

There used to be a video here, but it got removed 🙂 Here’s what it showed, in short:

spectacular dawns, aboriginal art, rocks, cairns, wildlife, Rocky Mountains, geology, seashores, seals, birds, rivers, architecture, city life, democracy, whale watching, streams, lakes, autumn leaves, natural resources, Niagara Falls, the CN tower, RCMP musical ride (now AND then), the railroad (then AND now), geese, mountain goats, otters, owls, hiking, fabulous vistas, trade, wild horses, cowboys (and cowgirls!), the prairies, grain, sunsets, National pride, veterans, peacekeepers, caring, winter, fishing, castles, cuteness, acceptance, Inuit, ice, space innovation, policewomen, quirkiness, diversity, sharing, love, a great flag and, of course, the CBC!

Happy Birthday Canada! We love you for all these reasons and more.

Post script

Canada and Canadians are loved and respected for being open, welcoming and worldly. We are, for the most part, a peaceful and prosperous nation.

Yet I despair over the violence in our streets. My heart aches for the families of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. I weep for our First Nations: they still suffer injustice, as do our poor, our underprivileged, and our underserved. I regret our national mistakes and failures.

Today, I pray that Canada and its people – all of them from sea to shining sea – will find a better way forward. One that will continue to make us a proud and meaningful contributor to a healthier, happier, and more peaceful world.

Happy Birthday Canada 🙂

Outtakes: I Know That You Wanna Be Canadian Please

Lyrics: I Know That You Wanna Be Canadian Please

I Know That You Wanna Be Canadian Please
Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please
Even if in winter things tend to freeze
We’ve got the world monopoly on trees
And our country’s bordered by three different seas
Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please
We invented the zipper, we’ve got expertise
We made insulin to combat disease
Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please
CHORUS
Brits have got the monarchy
The US has the money
But I know that you wanna be Canadian
The French have got the wine and cheese
Koalas chill with the Aussies
But I know that you wanna be Canadian
Et si ce n’était pas assez
On a deux langues officielles:
L’anglais et le français
Ooh la la
Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please
Where else do you find mounted police
Or go to the hospital and not pay fees
Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please
And when freshwater is in high demand
We’ve got the world’s largest supply on hand
So you know that we could make a pretty good friend
But it’s even better if you can be…
CHORUS
So you’re thinking to yourself,
“How do I live in this beautiful country?”
Well we’ve got some steps for you to follow…
STEP 1: Lose the gun
STEP 2: Buy a canoe
STEP 3: Live multiculturally
STEP 4: You’re ready, there is no more!
We got beavers, caribou and moose
We got buffalos, bears, and Canadian goose
And we’re sorry about Celine Dion
But she did do that good song for James Cameron…
CHORUS
Brits have got the monarchy
The US has the money
But I know that you wanna be Canadian
The French have got the wine and cheese
Koalas chill with the Aussies
But I know that you wanna be Canadian
The Greek chilled out with Socrates
Can’t build a wall like the Chinese
But I know that you wanna be Canadian
In Kenya they have safaris
We’ve missed lots of other countries
But I know that you wanna be Canadian